Brunnerville/Snavely Mill
Lancaster Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Watersource: Hammer Creek
Brunnerville/Snavely Mill
Starting at Pa. 501 in the town of Lititz, take Pa. 772 for 1/4 mile, turn left on N. Water St. for 3/4 mile. After the Newport Rd. intersection, the road becomes Brunnerville Rd. Procede for 2.5 miles. Brunnerville is reached in 1.5 miles , then continue for another mile to Snavely Mill Rd. Turn left and after several hundred yards, Sleepy Hollow Rd. angles off to the right. Brunnerville Mill is right there on the left side of Snavely Mill Rd.
View Larger Map
This 45'x60' very attractive mill of 4.5 stories in height was constructed by Martin D. Grube in 1855, as is evidenced by the datestone on the northeast side between the third story windows.
Two turbines turned the millstones to grind flour(12 barrels/day), grist, and corn meal. It was also utilized as a saw mill and a cooperage. Successive owners were in 1864, Abraham Burkhart; 1875-99, Benjamin H. Snavely; and lastly Benjamin B. Snavely operated the mill and closed the operation in 1917.
An earlier log mill by John Youndt was in existence as early as 1792. Youndt continued to own and operate and pay taxes on this mill until sold to Martin Grube in 1832. Martin continued the operation until 1855, when he tore it down to build his large stone mill.
The photo shows only a small portion of the millpond.
By 1969, it was being used for storage and by 1987, it was as it appears in the photo, converted into a residence on Hammer Creek in Lancaster County.
The photo was taken by Elizabeth Schreiner in the 1950's and used here with permission from Robert G. Neuhauser. This mill is one of five, out of seven, that is still standing along the banks of Hammer Creek in Lancaster County, Pa.
GPS: 40' 11.85'N, 76' 16.8'W ele. 358'/109 meters Lititz Quadrangle